# My newly found regard for religion. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 16, 2008, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651 "2008-07-16T05:33:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651/1 "2008-07-16T05:33:45Z")
As most of you are probably aware Sydney is hosting [World Youth Day](http://www.wyd2008.org/) and is temporarily home for hundreds of thousands of pilgrims. They are all over the city and are a terribly happy bunch. You see mobs of them, often dressed in similar costumes - Mexicans in ponchos, groups of Scandanavian Heidis and flag waving Africans. Upon seeing them I was reminded of the camaraderie in the air when I was going to the stadium to watch the football on Saturday night. People decked out in the colours of the two opposing teams, all looking forward to an evening of entertainment and drama. So maybe being a member of a religion is like being a fan of a football team, except that you support a team that doesn’t exist. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651/2 "2008-07-16T06:04:03Z")
The team exists. It’s the owner who doesn’t. My patience for the WYD attendees will end the instant I hear them sing live. Film of these dweebs whipping out a guitar in the airport lounge and the crowd all joining in (each in their own key, of course) is bad enough, I doubt my restraint if I were to see it live. ---
**Author:** ![Mame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@Mame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mame)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651/3 "2008-07-16T14:17:45Z")
[QUOTE=Askance] (each in their own key, of course) [/QUOTE] Mr Lehrer, I presume? I was stuck at the airport for an extra hour Monday night as the luggage came in, and yes, each in their own key, different songs, and none of them should give up their day-jobs. I live in one of the affected areas, and yes it is very nice that they are happy, but why the holy flaming hell are we PAYING 10s of million$ for a for a particular church celebration? (And as it isn’t the Pit, I won’t even mention Pell). The only good part has been the court striking down the completely unacceptable “don’t annoy the pilgrims” law. World Atheist Day anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651/4 "2008-07-16T14:43:53Z")
[QUOTE=don’t ask] Upon seeing them I was reminded of the camaraderie in the air when I was going to the stadium to watch the football on Saturday night. People decked out in the colours of the two opposing teams, all looking forward to an evening of entertainment and drama. So maybe being a member of a religion is like being a fan of a football team, except that you support a team that doesn’t exist. [/QUOTE] Also, you don’t get to find out if they won in the Cup final until you die. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651/5 "2008-07-16T21:19:00Z")
[QUOTE=don’t ask] As most of you are probably aware Sydney is hosting [World Youth Day](http://www.wyd2008.org/) and is temporarily home for hundreds of thousands of pilgrims. [/QUOTE] Why would we be aware of that? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651/6 "2008-07-16T21:22:39Z")
Because it’s apparently “the largest event Australia has ever hosted”, and of course the repercussions simply must be global. 😃 Can I say that “Catholic Scandinavian Heidis” just _has_ to be a porn flick? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651/7 "2008-07-16T21:25:15Z")
[QUOTE=Duck Duck Goose] Can I say that “Catholic Scandinavian Heidis” just _has_ to be a porn flick? [/QUOTE] I’d be hurt if you didn’t! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651/8 "2008-07-16T21:40:26Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] Why would we be aware of that? 😕 [/QUOTE] Don’t know, but over here, the World Youth Day is always reported by the medias (because France is mostly catholic? Don’t know). So, I too would have assumed other posters would be aware of it. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651/9 "2008-07-16T21:49:42Z")
[QUOTE=don’t ask] So maybe being a member of a religion is like being a fan of a football team, except that you support a team that doesn’t exist. [/QUOTE] And here I thought it was a thread about your newly found regard for religion. ---
**Author:** ![Omegaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651/10 "2008-07-16T23:03:48Z")
[QUOTE=gigi] And here I thought it was a thread about your newly found regard for religion. [/QUOTE] That’s what I though too. Ah, should have been in the pit. Can’t say I have any higher regard for judgemental … well, lets just leave it to one’s imagination. ---
**Author:** ![Omegaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651/11 "2008-07-16T23:05:28Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] Also, you don’t get to find out if they won in the Cup final until you die. [/QUOTE] Word. ---
**Author:** ![Dunawake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dunawake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunawake)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651/12 "2008-07-16T23:15:05Z")
[QUOTE=gigi] And here I thought it was a thread about your newly found regard for religion. [/QUOTE] Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651/13 "2008-07-17T00:12:23Z")
[QUOTE=clairobscur] Don’t know, but over here, the World Youth Day is always reported by the medias (because France is mostly catholic? Don’t know). So, I too would have assumed other posters would be aware of it. [/QUOTE] Silly foreigners. This is America. We don’t know about anything that happens beyond our shores unless it involves Americans or the Billboard Hot 100. Preferably both. Most of us aren’t 100% convinced that “other countries” exist. 😃 Hell, I bet not 1 in 100 Americans could name the Prime Minister of _Canada_. That said, I bet you can’t name the Prime Minister of Belgium, either. Please tell me you can’t. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651/14 "2008-07-17T06:40:58Z")
[QUOTE=gigi] And here I thought it was a thread about your newly found regard for religion. [/QUOTE] Why? ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651/15 "2008-07-17T14:36:14Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] That said, I bet you can’t name the Prime Minister of Belgium, either. [/QUOTE] Lately, [there rarely is a prime minister in Belgium](http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/15/europe/EU-Belgium-Government.php) (note that before this one Belgium didn’t have a government for something like 10 months) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651/16 "2008-07-17T14:40:24Z")
[QUOTE=clairobscur] Lately, [there rarely is a prime minister in Belgium](http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/15/europe/EU-Belgium-Government.php) (note that before this one Belgium didn’t have a government for something like 10 months) [/QUOTE] Victory! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651/17 "2008-07-17T14:42:05Z")
[QUOTE=clairobscur] Lately, [there rarely is a prime minister in Belgium](http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/15/europe/EU-Belgium-Government.php) (note that before this one Belgium didn’t have a government for something like 10 months) [/QUOTE] Lucky Belgians. Why can’t we not have a government for a while? ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651/18 "2008-07-17T14:46:37Z")
[QUOTE=don’t ask] So maybe being a member of a religion is like being a fan of a football team, except that you support a team that doesn’t exist. [/QUOTE] I don’t get football either. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651/19 "2008-07-17T14:47:52Z")
The analogy stretches to include hooliganism as well. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651/20 "2008-07-17T14:52:24Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] The analogy stretches to include hooliganism as well. [/QUOTE] I don’t think religious fanatics usually get liquored up before they go out and harrass the nonbelievers. I could be wrong, though. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-newly-found-regard-for-religion/456651.md?page=2)